Destiny
by linnetjo
Summary: AU. Prophecies and psychics. Draco's drawn into a world previously unknown, and his guide? A thoroughly reluctant Hermione Granger.
1. AntiLitigation Charm

For those of you who previously read the first three chapters, this story is going through a drastic rewrite.

I do not own any characters, spells, places or items you recognize as JKR's. The definition of "Ohana" was taken from Disney's Lilo & Stitch. The word t'swaha was taken, in a less butchered form from Tamora Pierce's Circle Of Magic series. On the other hand, I do own _Isla de Pascua,_ Regency Institute for Psychic Development and any characters you do not recognize. Most notably the younger members of Ohana, the _Dolphin's Song's _crew, and the denizens of the island. I don't mind if you borrow them, but please ask.I am not making any money of this. The characters stumbled into my brain one day and refused to leave until I'd written their story.

In regards to the island, particularly its history, culture and religions, I would like to clearly state that they are NOT real. It came from some scattered research and my imagination filled in the rest. I'll try to avoid butchering things too badly. The information about the different religions mentioned should not be used as reference for the real-life theology. If you would like to know more about anything I mention, e-mail me and I'll send you a list of links and books I used for research. If you see that I have grossly misinterpreted something about your religion and are upset about it, DO NOT SEND FLAMES! Tell me what I misinterpreted or misrepresented and I will do my best to fix the problem.

There are a number of times when I use Spanish, French or make a direct reference of something I've read or researched. When I do that, there will be a superscript numeral afterwards that corresponds to the number in the author's notes at the end which will contain the translation or source. My Spanish is somewhat rusty; if you've constructive criticism regarding the way I've said something feel free to e-mail me. My French is taken alternatively from a textbook and a dictionary, and I have had absolutely no feedback in any way regarding it – again, constructive criticism is welcome.

Lastly, Destiny is AU. Very AU. It takes a hard left after Prisoner of Azkaban, skates into the margins and is barely hanging onto the page. You have been warned. Also: this has not been beta'd. If anyone is interested in beta'ing, let me know using the e-mail address below. Thanks!

My e-mail is WARNING: flames will be taken and used to roast marshmallows.


	2. Prologue: Hatchling

Prologue:

In Which The Dragon Hatches

_Isla de Pascua_

_June 4, 1980_

A tall Hawaiian woman in white robes decorated in yellow and indigo strode from a small cottage. She looked east for a long moment to study the swirling towers and the wall of white marble that surrounded them. After a long moment, she turned west towards the ocean.

It was late afternoon and the sun seemed painfully bright as it prepared to set. The path she followed was surrounded by wildflowers and the air was heavy with their scent. The birds' song seemed to follow her. As she reached the hill's crest, the wind began to pick up. It pushed at her playfully, catching and tugging on her hair and robes as if it wanted to keep her from her goal.

She moved for the hill's footpath to the smaller trail that led down the cliff. Her footsteps were slow but steady and the unlit brazier she carried swung from side to side. Behind her, the birds' songs faded away as the settled in for the night.

The trail wound down into a small cove isolated from the rest of the ocean by rocks. She hung the brazier from the hand of a statue of Odin by the water's edge. She removed a pouch from her robes and laid the leaves petals of several herbs into the brazier. She applied drops of rosemary oil to her eyes from a phial she produced from the pouch. Afterward, she poured the rest of the oil over the herbs in the brazier and lit them.

Once smoke has started to rise, she turned away. She took a deep, fortifying breath as she focused on the calm surface of the water. Sunset has begun, and noises got fainter. Soon, the surface of the water rippled and pictures began to form.

The first images were disquieting; pain and death and more pain. She frowned at the water and whispered, "¿Debe estar tan?"1 Slowly, the images changed; pain and death change into understanding and compassion. The images were the same places, the same times, but something was different. Her brow puckered as she pondered the difference. Finally, she commanded, "¿Qué cambió? ¿Qué se debe hacer subsistencia el cambio?"2

Wind galed through the cove, nearly extinguishing the fire in the brazier. The water in the cove was swept around by the wind, creating sizable waves and causing the woman to throw her arms up to shield her face and step back. Images fell into her mind, completely capturing her attention. A dragon, growing only with other dragons, hunting as it pleased without a thought for anyone else and the havoc it wreaked. The same dragon, taken from it clutch in adolescence. Taken with a collar round its neck and kept among what it considered prey. Learning, and understanding.

The wind ceased just as suddenly as it began. A clock struck midnight and a baby's cry rang out. The woman hastily dropped her arms. The now calm water showed a stone room holding a pale woman breathing hard and a healer bringing an infant boy to her. A door in the background opens, and a tall, pale man enters.

She nodded to herself and moved forward into the water. The picture dissipated as she gathered the water in her hands and lifted them above her head in an entreaty to the Mother Goddess.

Dama Madre

Viglie algo sus Hijos

Guarde los hijos a salvo y

Guiera los pasos de ellos

Le abrazaba en sus

abrazos cariñosos.

Ellos cumpliará las órdenes de ud.

Cuando se llamaba a ellos,

Que se oigan.

Donde se caminaba,

Que se vean.

Pues yo voluntad,

Así que será.3

"Bienvenido al mundo, dragónito. Esté bien."4

1 – "Must it be so?"

2 – "What changed? What must be done to keep the change?

3 - Lady Mother

Guard your Children

Keep them safe and

Guide their steps,

Held safe in your

loving arms.

When you call,

Let them hear.

Where you walk,

Let them see.

As I will,

So mote it be.

4 – "Welcome to the world, little dragon. Be well."


	3. Chapter 1: Decisions, Decisions

Chapter 1:

Decisions, Decisions

_Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, UK_

_June 21, 1995_

Draco Malfoy glanced out the window at the bright, clear morning as he lazily finished buttoning his robes. It was perfect flying weather, and he intended to take full advantage of it. Behind him, a house elf knocked timidly on the door and slipped into the room.

"Pardon, Master Draco, but Mistress is wanting you downstairs. There is guests, Master Draco."

Frowning in annoyance Draco peered intently into the mirror and impatiently brushed his hair back, ignoring the elf.

"Master Draco? Did—"

"Yes, yes, I heard. Go away; I'll be down when I'm ready and not a moment before."

Bowing and stammering, the elf slipped out again. Grimacing at his reflection he mimicked, "There is guests." He adjusted the cuffs on his robes and took another critical look in the now smirking mirror.

"Stop fussing, you look fine." He rolled his eyes at the mirror as he strode out of the room. He headed for the lower salon where his mother would be waiting with her guests. He dawdled along as much as he could and entered the salon only when he could no longer avoid it. To his surprise and pleasure, it was not his mother who waited with the guests, but his grandmother.

Madeleine Malfoy was the daunting matriarch of the Malfoy family. She was willow-slim and pale, revealing her veela heritage. Her grey eyes were sharp and coolly intelligent. His grandmother didn't visit the Manor much anymore. She adored her grandson – a feeling that was very mutual – but was often at odds with her son. As a result, she rarely came north but stayed in her chateau just outside of Dijon. His summers were often split between the two places.

"Grand-mère! Grandmother" he said by way of greeting. "I didn't know you were coming to visit." He bent to kiss her cheek.

"I haven't heard from you since you got home; I've been feeling neglected." There was just a hint of reproach in his grandmother's voice as she reached up to hug him.

"I'm sorry. Father's been busy at the Ministry and I haven't had the chance to ask," he replied. A low 'harrumph!' reminded Draco of their guests and he turned to face them. Before he could say anything, his grandmother cut in.

"Where have my manners gone? Draco, this is Professor Taka Kenoji and her associate, Professor Peregrine Santirez. Professors, my grandson, Draco."

Santirez, a thin, olive skinned man with a shock of grey hair and startling blue eyes, visibly gritted his teeth when his grandmother introduced him.

Draco nodded in their direction. "Nice to meet you Professors," he offered, biting back a smile as Santirez fought a grimace.

Kenoji's voice was low, silky, and undeniably female. "It is our pleasure to make your acquaintance as well. Although I do believe Peregrine would prefer to be called 'Master Santirez'. Where we come from, the title 'Professor' is reserved for administration."

He replied, "Oh" with a non-committal air. Kenoji's brown hair was pulled back into a tidy braid and her eyes were alight with good-natured amusement; over his response or Santirez' discomfort he couldn't say. Her features seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place them. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Her eyebrows lifted. "Most likely not. The last time I saw you, you were a week old and sound asleep."

It was his turn to let his eyebrows lift. "A week old? Are you a friend of my parents?"

Santirez coughed and Kenoji looked vaguely uncomfortable. However, it was his grandmother who answered. "Taka was a schoolmate of your father's. She was here at that time to discuss your education. A task that she is once again pursuing."

"Oh." Draco wondered why this woman would be so interested in his education, but refrained from asking. He studied the pair for a moment. "You're going to be teaching at Hogwarts this year?"

Again, his grandmother answered. "No, but it wouldn't matter even if they were. You are no longer a student there."

He whirled around to face her. "What are you talking about?"

"I withdrew your enrollment yesterday." Her grey eyes were cold and uncompromising, though her voice was gentle. Draco's eyes had darkened to the color of storm clouds and were blazing with fury.

"You withdrew my enrollment," he repeated slowly, his eyes on her face. At her quiet affirmative, his hands clenched into fists and he took a step forward. "How dare you. _How dare you._ What gives you the right to rearrange my life without even asking? What gives you the right dictate my life, my future without regard for my feelings or my plans? I am not a house elf to be ordered about and I will not stand for this!"

"I am this family's matriarch. The family's well-being is under my care. The last time I checked, you were a member of this family." When he moved to speak, she held up her hand. At that moment, her face seemed incredibly weary. "No. You need a more complete education than Hogwarts or your father can give you. The Institute provides that and more. You leave in two weeks. I suggest you start packing."

"What do you mean, 'a more complete education'?" Draco demanded, ignoring his grandmother's 'suggestion' to pack. "Hogwarts' curriculum might be somewhat lacking, but Father's been filling in the gaps."

"There is more than magic to learn, Draco. And you must learn."

"More than magic?" he sneered. "Sounds like you're turning into a muggle-lover, Grand-mère. Going 'round the bend, are you?"

"I am in full possession of my faculties, _boy_. However, you seem to be disregarding the necessity of broadening your education. And it is a necessity."

"There is no reason I need any training other than magical," he said flatly.

"Au contraire, my young friend," Professor Kenoji said cheerfully as she leaned forward in her chair. "'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio.'_ Quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet._ There is a place, and a people, that lie between the muggle and magical worlds. Mostly they are muggles whose brain cells have evolved to create some amazing abilities. Sometimes they are magicals who manage to step beyond where most minds tread. Either way, they are referred to as psychics and they are neither one nor the other, but somehow both.

"They manifest a wide range of powers. These powers include, but are not limited to, the following: telepathy, empathy, extra-sensory perception, telekinesis, and energy channeling. The Regency Institute for Psychic Development was founded to learn about and educate these people.

"You are one of those people, Draco. So is your father, though he'd prefer not to admit it. Your father ignores his gift, Draco. He has the strength, discipline, and training needed to ignore it. But you do not have those luxuries. You must learn them, as he did. Otherwise, you risk madness at best, death at worst.

"Will you let us teach you?"

Draco stared blankly at her while his mind whirled around the information he'd just been given. The phrase, _'you risk madness at best, death at worst.'_ kept echoing through his head. "Do I have a choice?"

"Only if you consider madness or death viable options, I'm afraid." At that moment, a bright _'brring!'_ issued from Kenoji's pocket. She reached in and removed a small silver rectangle. She glanced at it, stood up and said, "I'm terribly sorry, but I really must take this." She moved away from them, speaking into the device.

There was long, tense silence after she left. Draco firmly resisted looking at his grandmother and studied the wall just above Santirez' head instead. A few moments later, Kenoji returned.

"I'm very sorry, Madeleine, but Peregrine and I must beg your leave. An emergency at home. Would you mind if we use the floo?"

"No, of course not. Is everything all right?"

"My sister just lost control of her power and we need to do some damage control. Could you show Peregrine how the floo works? I'd like a word with Draco," she offered with an apologetic smile. His grandmother swallowed and nodded, leading Santirez away. Once they were gone, Kenoji turned back to him. "I must offer you an apology as well. Undoubtedly, you have a thousand questions – questions that I'll do my best to answer. If it's agreeable, I'll return in three days time to answer your questions and cover any other necessary information. Does teatime work for you?"

He stared into space for a moment while his brain struggled to deal with something so…mundane. When he did speak, his voice sounded as if it belonged to someone else. "Fine."

Her face shone with compassion. "I have just one more thing to ask of you. I need you to keep a journal of the events in the coming weeks and what you feel and think about them. It needs to be kept daily, and you do not need to share it with anyone if you don't want to. You may be asked to look through it and provide information, but you don't need to let anyone read it." She paused briefly to study his blank face. "All right?"

"Yeah. Journal. Fine."

She smiled. "Good. I've got to dash, see you Monday."


	4. Chapter 2: Discussions and Debriefing

Chapter 2:

Discussion and Debriefing

_From the journal of Draco Aidan Marcus Augustus Malfoy:_

_June 23, 1995_

_I don't believe this. My life has just been tossed in the air to land where it may. After Kenoji and Santirez left the other day, I was certain that this whole thing was a mistake or a bad joke. I owled Father. His reply told me that this was not a mistake, not a joke, and not negotiable. _

_Grand-mère gave me this journal yesterday. I think she meant it as sort of a peace offering. I'm not really angry with her anymore but I'm not happy with her either. She's been trying to make amends, but it'll be some time until we're comfortable with each other again._

_Kenoji will return tomorrow. I don't understand why the Institute does what it does. I wonder what it'll be like there? What am I going to learn? Guess I find out tomorrow._

The afternoon of the twenty-fourth was windy and rainy. An agitated Draco prowled the halls. When the clock struck three, he went to the lower salon. A house elf was serving tea and biscuits to an already seated Kenoji. She smiled when he entered. "Draco, good afternoon! Doing well, I hope?"

He gave a non-committal shrug and took a cup of tea from the elf. "Well enough." He took a sip of tea and set the cup down. "Can we just get this over with?"

"Certainly." She sipped her tea. "As I have already explained, Regency is a haven and a place of learning for those with exceptional gifts. Some stay on the island once they complete their training. Most leave to make their way in the world. Either way, Regency's laws are always enforced no matter what you do.

"Like Hogwarts, Regency students are separated. We have eight different clans: Ohana, Stormsong, Akasha, Akhet, Sylvan, Wildheart, Stardance and Kasabi. The administration decides where you'll be, and once you're placed you stay within that clan. With me so far? Good.

"We teach a wide variety of classes. Until we discover exactly what your gifts are, you'll only take basic subjects. Meditation, mathematics, transfiguration, potions, literature and charms, for example."

Draco interrupted. "I got the impression that this is a muggle-dominated school. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not wrong. But there are magical alumni who kindly volunteer their time and energies to teach other magicals. Regency's a 'controlled' area so we don't need to worry about the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. Speaking of muggles, I've gathered that you don't care for them."

"They're backward at best," Draco shrugged, gripping tightly to the ideas his father had pounded into him since the cradle. "They aren't anything approaching civilized and it would be best if the Mudbloods stayed to their stations – among the muggles, not the wizards."

Taka placed her cup on the saucer with a small, muted _clink_. "I should be highly offended at that, as I am muggle, but considering I know your father I'll let it slide. I want you to know, however, that it would be best to keep that particular opinion to yourself. There are more than a few on the Institute's campus that would be very angry with you if it ever got out, and they generally do not keep such displeasure to themselves. You could land yourself in a lot of trouble that way."

"I understand," Draco murmured. "Does the Institute have Quidditch?"

"No formal teams – we simply don't have the numbers for that, but there is usually a pickup game to found at any day of the week."

"Pickup game?"

"A game that isn't formal, or organized at all. You just kind of pick up people for here and there. Quidditch is not the only sport on the campus, or even on the island, like there is at Hogwarts. We require students to master certain levels in swimming, horsemanship – both horse and pegasi - and fencing. We also teach hand-to-hand combat, which you'll learn the bare basics of – if only to know how to fall, and organized football teams.

"A teacher – most likely Mistress Sabea, our seer – will assess your talents to put you into a clan and to determine your gifts. Once you are past the elementary, mandatory classes you will be given further classes according to your gifts. The assessment of your gifts will also determine which member of the faculty will be your advisor.

"We have 30 different faculty; most of them are merely teachers. The faculty advisors are: myself, Telekani Sabea, Peregrine Santirez, Icarus Kenoji, Althea Silvermoon, Ignacio Hidalgo, Adrian Harper, Dominic MacAllastair, and Raksha Callaghan. The only one we know for certain you'll be working with is Adrian Harper. He's teaches the magicals at the Instute; aided by the WilderRiders. With me so far?"

"Mostly. What are _WilderRiders_ and why do they help teach magic?"

"The WilderRiders are the island's version of Auror's. The ones stationed in San Sabastien help teach offensive and defensive magic and psychic spells, fencing, wizarding dueling, and hand-to-hand combat. They're a mixture of all – well, almost all – of the island's races."

"Which are…?"

"Muggles, magicals, and psychics, of course; there is also an elf clan, a centaur herd, a couple of unicorns, a small herd of pegasi, t'swaha – a race of large, abnormally intelligent animals, usually taking the forms of tigers, wolves, and falcons - and halflings. The halflings are found almost all over the island. We have just over 70 on campus that work for us.

"That's it from my side. Any questions, concerns, or unreasonable and impossible demands?"

Draco offered a half-smile. "What's with the journal? And what did you mean, about sharing it in an emergency?"

"Keeping the journal will document the path you take to the discipline required to control your gifts. If your power flares uncontrollably, or even just fluctuates, it will help you and your advisor to judge the cause of it. There are only two people you are required to show it to are myself and your advisor. Generally, psychics are positively obsessive about privacy and do their best not to invade other's privacy.

"I should warn you though, we have a very intense ethical stand and we expect all our students to obey. There are three categories that you'll go through in your ethics class."

"How do your students feel about this no compromise program?"

"Most of them learned the hard way that these are the best choices we can give them. Some of them got the powers hereditarily – their parent, or parents, were psychics. Some had their powers flare so badly out of control that innocent people were killed – lives that can't ever be taken back. Some were taken as lab rats by muggles. Others were hurt, some of them even tortured, for what they were."

Draco pondered this for a moment. "I can understand the first two, but not the last two. Wouldn't they want revenge?"

"They do, and the Institute does help to neutralize the more dangerous of the people that do that. But we also have a saying: 'When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the fire department generally uses water'. It helps to keep the students' feet on the ground. As does the knowledge that every action has a price. But you'll learn about that when you get there.

"Now. Many of your books you'll pick up at the Institute; the topics are so varied that it's hard to get all of them at one time or one place, so we keep a bookstore on campus. As for equipment, bring the stuff you take to Hogwarts, as well as some "muggle" supplies. Instead of rolls of parchment, we use notebooks – writing assignments will be measured in pages rather than feet. You need at least 14 notebooks. You'll also need pencils, a ruler, a protractor, a calculator, a 45-45-90 triangle and a 30-60-90 triangle. The calculator should be a graphing calculator – and you'll want to keep the manual. Those things are horribly confusing.

"Your wardrobe is up to you. We don't require uniforms, but we do require you bring appropriate swimwear."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Swimwear?"

"Well, we are an island. We do have warm weather most of the year, but you'll want to bring at least one or two heavy sweaters. You'll have to get ready quickly because you're scheduled to leave in two weeks from Port Maverick. The _Dolphin Song_ will meet you at Dock 6 at six – her captain is Matthias Morgan.

"I think we've covered just about everything." She looked over at him.

He shrugged. "I'm good."

"Okay. In that case, I need to get back to the Institute. I'll see you in a couple weeks. Welcome to RIPD, Draco." She shook his hand and gathered her belongings and walked of the room. She was waylaid by his grandmother near the door. He could hear her greet his grandmother. "Hey, Madeleine." A muted pause. "No, I just finished meeting with Draco. Although…" A soft crinkle told him she was searching through her purse. "Here we are. A list of places in London where you can find the supplies Draco needs for school. Although you probably remember most of them from the Lucius' schooling." Another pause. "Nope, that's it. Anyway, I need to run. It was good seeing you again. We'll have to have lunch sometime soon."

The next pause lasted until Kenoji's footsteps faded. He heard his grandmother come to the door and tensed.

"Draco? Can I speak with you?"

"Grandmére?"

She lowered herself into the chair that Kenoji had just vacated. Her face was sad and incredibly weary. "I have to offer you an apology, Draco. I did not mean to spring the news on you in such a fashion. I asked your father to discuss with you the move from Hogwarts, and it didn't even pass through my mind that he wouldn't. Je beaucoup regrette, mon petit-fils I am very sorry, my grandson.. I do not want you to leave, but Taka is right. You need to learn in order to gain such freedom as you wish."

"Je commence comprendre, grandmére I begin to understand, grandmother.. But I'm not sure of anything anymore. Je ne comprends pas I don't understand.. I can't see what power I've possibly got that's flaring out of control."

She smiled. "You cannot, but you do not know what to look for; you do not know the depth of your strength. I can see the flares as I have been taught to, Taka can see the flares because that's part of her gift. You do not see them now – but once you are taught the measure of your power, you will."

Draco sat silently for a moment, then reached out and took the proverbial olive branch. "Professor Kenoji gave me a list of things I'll need at school. Come shopping with me?"

Her smile was warm and relieved. "I would love to."


	5. Chapter 3: Journeys and Journeyors

Chapter 3:

Journeys and Journeyers

_From the journal of Draco Aidan Marcus Augustus Malfoy:_

_July 7, 1995_

_Grand-mére and Mother came to see me off. I said goodbyes to my friends last week. Mother cried, made me promise to write once a week. I wish she wouldn't carry on like that, though. Grand-mére said that she might visit the island – apparently she and Kenoji are old friends. These past two weeks just flew by. I've been trying to find out why I had to leave so early._

The door to his cabin opened without so much as a knock and a boy about his age entered. "Hi. I'm Tanner Long; we've got our other passenger, and we launch in ten minutes. Matthias said to tell you that supper's in fifteen minutes. I'd offer you a tour, but there's not a whole to see. We don't exactly do bulk service."

Draco looked him over. He was tall, lanky and moved gracefully in spite of how he seemed to have extra joints and hadn't quite grown into his height. His hair was brown and shaggy and his blue eyes stared out between his bangs. "Hi. Just two passengers? I thought there'd be more people. It's kind of big boat for four people."

"Six people, actually. Two more members of the crew. Most of the students come when their powers start to flare and stay on the island until they've got it under control; usually three or four years. Our second passenger is actually one of the teachers. Taka left him here when she took her sisters back to the island."

"Master Santirez?"

"Ah, so you've met him already. That makes life easier, at least for you. He'll be working with you on meditation. That won't start until after supper, though. You'll meet our navigator and our cook at supper. The students that do leave usually do short-service; they're taken Honolulu and take a flight or floo home from there. Most simply do not have the patience for a one to four month trip home. Want the tour anyway?"

Draco faltered a bit at the abrupt change of topic, then shrugged. "Sure."

Tanner led him out of his cabin. "The cabin right behind you is Peregrine's and the ones further behind that and on the other side of the hall belong to the crew." Up a flight of stairs he turned right. "This is navigation, and the galley and dining room are over there." Backtracking, he headed left at the top the stairs, where a short hallway and three short steps led to the deck. Another flight of stairs led up to a cabin that was mostly window. "The cabin up there is the weather deck; it's where Matthias can see to give direct the ship. During storms, of course, we have to depend on the navigation – we've got most of the most recent technology there. It sometimes gets interference – we rely on satellites to obtain the information and storms create interference with the wifi. But it's a lot better than going at it with just the weather deck, and a lot less dangerous; during storms you can't see far enough to steer properly."

He broke off abruptly. "We'd better get down to the dining room. Supper's on." They turned and walked back to the dining room, running into Master Santirez on the way.

"Peregrine." Tanner acknowledged the teacher with a nod as he stepped back to make more room in the cramped hallway.

"Tanner. Boy." Peregrine Santirez was just as Draco remembered him, although his grey hair was messier. He gestured for them to pass him, and touched Draco's shoulder as he passed. "Stay in the dining room after supper; we'll start our meditation afterwards."

Entering the dining room he saw Captain Morgan and a huge black man putting food on the table. "Captain," he said by way of greeting.

The thin old man turned and grinned. "Peregrine, Tanner. Hatchling, hallo. Have you met Zebedee? No, of course you haven't, he's been busy. Zeb, this is Draco Malfoy; Hatchling, this is Zebedee Wackett. He's our cook and chief lookout. Luck, our navigator, won't be here; she's got the wheel for the next little bit."

As they all sat down, Draco looked over to the captain in surprise. "Luck? Is that her real name?"

"Is Draco your real name?" Tanner replied. "Yes, Luck is her given name. I wouldn't mention that to her, by the way. She's a bit touchy."

After that, supper passed swiftly and soon Draco was alone with Santirez. "Now, boy, I've been given to understand that you know the basics of meditation."

He eyed the teacher and responded with an indolent, "Yes, Master Santirez."

Santirez' bushy eyebrows snapped together. "I'll have none of that attitude. 'Yes, sir' is sufficient – 'Yes, Master Santirez' is a waste of words and time. And those are two things I avoid wasting if at all possible. When you work with me, you will keep your attitude or negative emotions in check. You can stop to talk about negative emotions to me or any one of the crew, but when we meditate you keep them under wraps. They'll eat you alive otherwise. I can protect you to a certain extent but you know the most about what it is you face up here." He tapped his temple twice.

"Now, we'll start with what you know and move on from there. We'll try different ways of meditation and settle into what works best. We usually use candles, but on the ship we abstain for safety reasons. So, what do you know?"

Draco considered the teacher in a new light. Master Santirez was beginning to remind him of McGonagall – stern and in control. "My father taught me meditation through basic count breathing. That's really all we did with it."

"Hmm. Well, tonight we'll stick with that, just keep it simple. Tomorrow, on the other hand, you learn to work. We meditate twice a day, before breakfast and again after supper. If your power starts to fluctuate we'll add a third session to stabilize things.

"Now, are you comfortable? Good. Close your eyes and relax into your position. I want you to focus on my voice and on the instructions I give you. Breathe in, two, three, four; breathe out, two, three, four. Breathe in, two, three, four; breathe out, two, three, four. Breathe in, two, three, four; breathe out, two, three, four." Slowly, the teacher's voice faded as Draco reached the empty place in his mind where he could just _be_.

He couldn't say how much longer he remained in that place, before he heard Santirez saying, "And now you're coming out, breathe out, two, three, four, breathe in, two, three, four. Breathe out, two, three, four, breathe in, two, three, four." Five more four counts and Draco was back in the _here_ and the _now_, and slightly disoriented.

"Well, I am impressed. I don't think you'll have much trouble moving into more complicated meditation practices. Your time is your own for the rest of the night. Our morning meditation session starts at seven, breakfast at eight-thirty. You will have chores – keeping your cabin in order, helping Zeb in the galley, learning to help Luck over in navigation, working with Tanner on deck. On deck, you'll learn to help with the rigging and act as lookout on the weather deck."

He paused in his monologue to study the boy. "You might want to go get sleep relatively soon. Before you do, however…" he turned round and rummaged in something behind him. He turned back round and handed Draco a cloth satchel. "To keep your journal and writing materials and whatever bits and pieces you use with you.

"Good night." Santirez rose abruptly and left the room.

_July 14, 1995:_

_The past week has flown by. I'm slowly learning to do all sorts of odd jobs around the ship. I'm also learning all sorts of odd things about the people on the ship._

_Santirez isn't as gruff as he pretends to be. He's brusque, and he has no tolerance for fooling around, but he's patient. He's perhaps the most normal thing on this boat. Which isn't saying much, considering his competition. Santirez is focused and patient, while the crew is just…odd._

_Captain Morgan looks to be about one hundred and sixty. He's the thin sort of elderly gentleman that usually gets described as spry. He has seemingly boundless energy and gives the impression of always laughing at some private joke. He's a bit of a chatterbox; he always calls me hatchling, I don't know why. It irritates, but so far all my demands that he stop have been laughed off or ignored._

_Our cook, Zeb, is over six feet tall and very intimidating; particularly if one is sitting down. He's mute, but still manages to get himself understood. He uses some sign language, but the crew and Santirez seem to understand him without it._

_Luck Johnson is our navigator. The first question I asked was: 'Is Luck her real name?'. Silly, I suppose, but it's not a name you come across usually. Luck's tiny, barely topping five feet, and a little neurotic. If she wasn't so pessimistic, I'd call her hyperactive, a lá Lavender Brown. Although she's thankfully not giggly. I've yet to see her sit still for more than five minutes at a time. She always has to be doing something._

_Tanner Long is the enigma on this boat; the one who just doesn't seem to fit. He fits in with the people but not really with what he is – that is, he gets along fine with the crew and the passengers – but he doesn't have a particularly defined role in this ragtag bunch. He can usually be found with Luck in navigation, staring over her shoulder and making unhelpful comments until she threatens to throw him overboard. At that point, he usually goes and haunts Zeb in the galley._

_This collection of misfits, these muggles has either caught me off-guard or seriously messed with my mind, because I can no longer believe that they are the inferior beings I have been told they were. I know that these people are so much more than they seem to be, not just because they fit with one another, but because I somehow know that whatever happens, they will persevere. They will not give in until an answer presents itself and they will never betray their own convictions. They are solid and content in the knowledge of who and what they are. And I wonder, will I ever have that knowledge?_

_I can't help but like these people, even though it's against what I've always taught. I also know that I should avoid telling my father about that; he wouldn't approve. He'd try to take them away, to punish them for my weakness. I wonder if there's a spell I can use that will keep the contents of this journal private?_

_July 17, 2006_

_The days are passing quickly, in a state of comfortable monotony. Master Santirez keeps to himself, except for meals, and our sessions. He appears to be working on something._

_The crew keeps me occupied. They don't seem to believe in silence; there is always laughter and sarcasm in equal amounts, but no silence. There is always music blaring, or someone singing, or Tanner trying to play Tarzan on the rigging._

"Dragón!" The shout came from above him. He looked up to see Luck leaning over the rail, her short blond bob falling over her eyes. "Come up. It's going to rain, and you don't want to get your book wet, do you? Besides, it'll keep you away from kitchen duty..."

"Well, when you put it like that..." Draco gathered up his things, stuffing them into the satchel Master Santirez had given him. He ducked into the covered hallway that held the sleeping cabins and the stairs to the cockpit.

When he reached navigation, Luck was once again sitting in her chair, checking the radar printouts. "Having fun yet?"

"I suppose." He shrugged and settled onto the floor setting his satchel down and drawing the journal out again. He hadn't written more than three words when Luck interrupted him again.

"What're you writing?"

"My journal. You guys don't believe in being quiet, do you?"

Luck's sharp, light laughter rang in his ears. "We may not be quiet, but at least we're predictable."

Draco looked up from the page then. The crew? Predictable? The idea was so ludicrous that he nearly laughed along with her. "Predictable? How do you figure?"

"You can always count on us to be loud and crazy, no? We don't do boring. Or bored, for that matter."

"Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored." Draco and Luck looked up as Tanner skipped into the room.

He turned to Luck and smirked. "Oh, you don't, do you?"

Tanner stopped and looked back and forth between them. "Don't? Don't what? Luck?"

Luck, being Luck, ignored Tanner. She shrugged indifferently as she answered Draco. "Meh. Two out of three 'taint bad. Besides, Tanner doesn't count. He's always bored."

"I am not! What are you guys talking about anyway?"

"Oh, this and that. Did Zeb kick you out of the galley?"

"Why is it that you always assume that just because I'm not where I'm supposed to be that someone kicked me out?"

"Straight on your bum, loco. Good for him." Luck's voice was tinged with satisfaction, and she was sporting a smug smile.

"Luck! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I like my side better. More fun."

Draco watched the exchange with a smirk on his face. The two of them were better entertainment than Weasley and Potter. Providing, of course, that Weasley and Potter did anything that held any entertainment value. He leaned back to enjoy the show. This might be more fun than he thought—Tanner was turning purple.

_July 21, 1995_

_Nothing much has been happening. Just after we left the re-filling station at Buenos Aires, Argentina, a couple dolphins started following the ship. By the time we circled the cape, we had a whole pod. Yesterday at sunset, Matthias stopped the boat so they could fish and so Tanner and Luck could go swim with the dolphins. They asked me to go with them, but I didn't. It seemed safer to stay on the boat. Luck taught me how to maintain and watch the radar signals for subs and rocks, so I stayed in the cockpit with Matthias to keep and eye on the equipment._

_We're still anchored, I'm not sure why._

Three quick, light taps on his cabin door interrupted him.

"It's open," he called.

Luck strolled in, Tanner right behind her grinning like a maniac. "All right, Dragón. Out on deck."

Draco glanced at the clock beside the bed, then out the porthole to confirm. "Luck, it's the middle of the night."

"Best time for it. Come on now, don't dawdle." She moved forward to take Draco's arm and guide him out of the cabin and into the hallway.

"I don't even have my shoes on!" He tried to move backwards only to discover that Tanner had stepped into place behind him. "Guys!"

"Sorry, man. She's calling the shots on this one. I'm just along for the ride. As for shoes, you can borrow mine." Tanner replied, his grin not diminishing at all. "Don't worry, we'll keep you out of trouble."

As they reached the deck, Draco say that the diving deck was still up. "Did the part about me not wanting to go for a swim not register with you two?"

"It did," Luck replied. "But I'd like to see how well you can swim and how well you interact with the dolphins. We don't need to worry about sharks or other predators here and its protected from the worst of the waves which makes it the perfect place to swim. So…off with your shirt. You can keep the slacks on or off as is your preference, since you're not allowed to drown. Tanner'll be in the water with you. Just so you know, we don't weigh anchor until you do this."

"Is all the stuff around Institute non-negotiable? Or do I just seem to be getting handing all the high-handed attitude?"

Tanner snickered. "No, it isn't just you or even them. There are entire programs in the Institute that are negotiable."

"Checking your ability to swim is for your safety; it tells us the areas you can pitch in if we hit a rough patch of weather. And we are going to hit rough weather. It's just lucky for all of us that you don't get seasick."

Draco measured her response. "Did you ever have to do any of this, when you started at the Institute?"

She shook her head in negative before replying, "I was born in San Sabastien, less than two miles away from the Institute. I could swim before I could walk – I still can swim better than I can walk. My mother was from one of the families that originally settled the island; my father was a dolphin shapeshifter. I received all of my education at the Institute."

He filed the information away, then removed his shirt and slipped into the water. He gave a small yelp when he hit the water – that was cold. "I thought water was supposed to get warmer the further south you went."

Tanner gave a bark of laughter that quickly turned into a yelp as he followed Draco into the water. "We're closer to Antarctica than the equator, I'm afraid. Makes the water a bit…nippy. It much warmer by the island."

Draco treaded water for a couple minutes to allow his body to get adjusted to the temperature, then looked up at Luck. "Now what?"

"Now you swim to the bow and back. After that, once one of the dolphins approaches you, put your hand on their fin and let them tug you around the boat." Luck explained. "That's really all this is. Take off when ready."

Draco eyed the stretch of water by the boat with trepidation before he took off. He was grateful that the dolphins, who were gathering by the swim deck, gave him a moment to tread water before approaching him. The swim against the small waves was tiring. He was pleasantly surprised with the encounter with the dolphin; the way it swam round him in a circle once before bobbing gently beside him.

Once they made it back to the swim deck, Tanner was already playing with some of the pod. It seemed to Draco the natural to do was join them. He didn't realize Luck had intended to go with them until she dived over the side. One of the dolphins followed her under, and to Draco's amazement, pushed her up out of the water by her feet. The three of them continued to play with the dolphins until they started to shiver.

While they were overboard, someone had come and left out towels, heavy terry-cloth robes and deck shoes for all three of them. They rubbed their limbs dry and bundled themselves in the robes. They headed inside to the galley for a cup of hot cocoa and found Santirez already there, writing in a notebook.

As Draco turned in, he wondered if these people knew the effects they had on other people. He should have felt embarrassed or angry. It shouldn't have felt…natural. He said to himself as he drifted off to sleep, _'It's just these people, this set of muggles. There are exceptions to every rule; they're the exception in theirs.'_


End file.
